Beyond the extraordinary race they provided us, Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake have forced us to revisit the eternal debate between natural ability and hard work. On the left, Bolt, he of the fast-twitch muscles and the huge levers; on the right, Blake, who trains so hard that when his coach gives him a programme he "damages it". Did talent beat work ethic then? Is it true that, as Allan Massie in the Daily Telegraph quoted Aldous Huxley, "Nature is monstrously unjust. There is no substitute for talent. Industry and all the virtues are of no avail"?

It is a much deeper debate than that. Nobody is only talented or only hard-working. But there is little doubt that if talent is combined with ambition and work ethic (and make no mistake, there is far, far more to Bolt than mere great natural endowment) it makes for an unbeatable combination. If unequally talented people have an identical attitude, the greater talent will always win. Blake discovered that in London.

But not everyone who is gifted can take the attention and the kind of financial rewards Bolt receives and remain unaffected. Young footballers in England and cricketers in India are excellent examples of that, of how reward can take talent's hand and lead it astray. Let's look at an example.

On March 2, 2008, Rohit Sharma, already a much talked-about name in Indian cricket circles, scored 66 against Australia in a chase in the first final of the CB Series. He put on 123 with Sachin Tendulkar and it was apparent to anyone who had eyes that a special talent had arrived. He didn't just hit good shots, he was calm, organised his innings with maturity and looked ready to play Test cricket. That was four and a half years ago.

Coincidentally, that very day, India's Under-19 players were in Kuala Lumpur playing the final of the World Cup against South Africa. India won it and the captain, Virat Kohli, a name known only to serious followers of Indian cricket, let his feelings go berserk. Wise people shook their heads gravely, worried about his attitude and, in a manner of speaking, put a little black mark against his name.

A month later both players were in the IPL. Kohli, brash and with a swagger that seemed okay for champions but not for 19-year-olds; Rohit, charming people like Adam Gilchrist and Andrew Symonds with his ability. Rohit was the fast-tracker, the next big thing in Indian cricket, Kohli the petulant youngster lighting the fuse of his own destruction.

So what has changed? Rohit's talent still makes your eyes pop. When he plants his front foot down and is still able to swivel and pull over square leg against pace, you know you are looking at someone special. But while extraordinary talent can help you take on the opposition, it can sometimes weaken your own defences. A couple of years ago Symonds told me Rohit was "lazy", that he was looking forward to playing with him again and giving him a "x@#%o*!" because he was the most talented kid playing. Rohit seems to be losing the battle with himself the way some others before him did. As Rahul Dravid said recently, there is a talent to hit a cricket ball and there is a talent to constantly challenge yourself, to get better every day, to focus on what is best for you, to do the hard yards.

At some point in the last four years Kohli realised that there was a virus within him. There was a rage hidden there that, if harnessed, could propel him upwards but which was in the process of demolishing him. I don't know if the voice within him told him that (the voice within always tells us the truth, it's just that we sometimes can't be bothered to listen) or if someone grabbed him by the collar and sat him down. Whatever it was, a new Kohli emerged; someone who could hit the ball very well but someone who was, at most times, in control of himself and with a better focus on life. The battle with himself that Rohit was losing was the battle Kohli was winning.

One day, very soon, Rohit will realise that greatness is not about possessing talent but about having the discipline to summon that talent whenever needed; a lesson that young Deepika Kumari would doubtless have learned too. That is why Bolt won in London - because his training allowed him to summon that outrageous talent when he wanted it to. When that small wake-up call came in Jamaica, he listened to it but he had already done the hard yards to be able to recover. He was the hare but he wasn't letting himself sleep. It is a lesson that many in Indian cricket, even if at different levels of accomplishment, must learn.

Harsha Bhogle is a commentator, television presenter and writer. His Twitter feed is here

TALENT - this word is very cheaply used now a days. Remember what Dravid said about talent. It's the completeness that can be called as talent. Not a bit in this area and a lot more in the other area and zero in yet another area and somewhat good in some other area - you've got to be complete in all facets of your approach to be called as gifted and talented cricketer. I know, you can be gifted in math and not in painting or biological sciences. You can still have future. But in cricket, you have to be gifted and talented in all the areas to be called as talented. Oodles of mental toughness with zero batting skills is no talent in cricket. Likewise oodles of batting skills with zero mental toughness cannot be called as talent in cricket.

on August 13, 2012, 12:59 GMT

Just too good Harsha... really wrote with golden ink, so to speak. Truly motivational and very apt in all walks of life. Cannot get better. Indeed a wakeup call to Rohit.

on August 12, 2012, 18:40 GMT

@Great_Aussie...........well said !...........but that itself speaks that if worlds worst batting can score 330 than how poor that bowling would be that is exactly my point..................................Last Pak batting was good in the period 2000 to 2003 when Pk had Anwar (Anwar was in middle order during that phase) Inzamam & yousaf all in good form and formed strong nucleus in middle order and only problem that pk had at that time was opening

on August 12, 2012, 15:41 GMT

Its always a delight to read your columns Harsha , and this is one is amongst your best !

RD's comment you have quoted here says it all.The Talent to challenge yourself certainly makes a big difference in cricket and all other fields .It will be interesting to see RD sharing his experiences with all young and upcoming players , not just cricketers.

As an ardent cricket lover I pray Rohit finds this talent soon !

DaisonGarvasis
on August 12, 2012, 12:14 GMT

I say you always write good ones Harsha, but sure you used your golden ink to write this one.
The comparison between Bolt and Blake, saying what Blake realized was simply awesome.
For whatever "talent" Rohit Sharma is said to be possessing he must have kept it is a safe place for the fear of "wearing it out". For all the "fast tracking" and countless chances he has been given he has not done justice by any means. When the so called less talented ones are asked to grind it in the domestice circuits for poor performances, Rohit should be given even more severe sentence for not giving 100%

VickGower
on August 12, 2012, 7:02 GMT

The way forward here is not that confounding. Not much philosophical contemplation required here. Rohit needs to grind it out in the domestic curcuit and show some numbers. People like Rahane who have been doing this need to be given a break at the international level. And Laxman needs to be retired at the earliest. We will do fine against NZ with or without him. It will be disastrous to not allow a youngster to begin gaining confidence for the glut of overseas trips in 2013/14. To that end, just delighted that Srikkanth's tenure as selector is over. Bye, Bye. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

Temuzin
on August 12, 2012, 2:06 GMT

OK great. Nohit is a big NOHIT in ODIs so select him for tests, give him another85-100 tests to prove he is really talented. ha ha ha some of the fans are hilarious and really one eyed.

wolf777
on August 11, 2012, 23:11 GMT

Hearing about Nohit Sharma's talent makes me sick to the stomach. Only 11 runs in 5 innings? Is that some sort of talent? Both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have played similar number of ODI matches. Comapre their stats and you will find out who is talented. Virat Kohli has almost 4000 runs at an average that is over 50 runs with 13 centuries. Rohit Sharma has scored only 1974 runs at a paltry average of 30 runs.
Harsha and others who are admiring Rohit Sharma's talent should go and enjoy his talent at India nets. That's where according to Gambhir his talent shines; against net bowlers if I may add.

warneneverchuck
on August 11, 2012, 21:49 GMT

@Ahmed. India's bowling is worst in world cricket so is Pak batting

on August 11, 2012, 20:51 GMT

Spot On Harsha. I wonder why Selectors don allow talented players to go grinding in Ranji trophy rather than giving them Fast track IPL license. Selectors need to rethink the strategies Indian Test Squad should be "Viru, Gauti(Captain), Kohli (He has been in terrific control, Sachin, Badrinath(Give him a run in test he ll come out with flying colors), Kaif (Deserves a chance) , Yuvi, Dhoni (Need to Improve his batting in Test),Pujara, Zak, Ashwin, bhajji, Ohja, Ishanth, Umesh, Irfan)" What u say Harsha allow, Rahane,Tiwary, Yusuf, Mukund, Vijay, Rohit, Raina, Karthick, Uthappa to paly as many Ranji games to gain experience. Each spot in team should have two replacement ready if no viru, Viajy/Mukund should be ready to fill in create that Pool of talent for each positions. Ur comments harsha

Dravid_Pujara_Gravitas
on August 13, 2012, 22:50 GMT

TALENT - this word is very cheaply used now a days. Remember what Dravid said about talent. It's the completeness that can be called as talent. Not a bit in this area and a lot more in the other area and zero in yet another area and somewhat good in some other area - you've got to be complete in all facets of your approach to be called as gifted and talented cricketer. I know, you can be gifted in math and not in painting or biological sciences. You can still have future. But in cricket, you have to be gifted and talented in all the areas to be called as talented. Oodles of mental toughness with zero batting skills is no talent in cricket. Likewise oodles of batting skills with zero mental toughness cannot be called as talent in cricket.

on August 13, 2012, 12:59 GMT

Just too good Harsha... really wrote with golden ink, so to speak. Truly motivational and very apt in all walks of life. Cannot get better. Indeed a wakeup call to Rohit.

on August 12, 2012, 18:40 GMT

@Great_Aussie...........well said !...........but that itself speaks that if worlds worst batting can score 330 than how poor that bowling would be that is exactly my point..................................Last Pak batting was good in the period 2000 to 2003 when Pk had Anwar (Anwar was in middle order during that phase) Inzamam & yousaf all in good form and formed strong nucleus in middle order and only problem that pk had at that time was opening

on August 12, 2012, 15:41 GMT

Its always a delight to read your columns Harsha , and this is one is amongst your best !

RD's comment you have quoted here says it all.The Talent to challenge yourself certainly makes a big difference in cricket and all other fields .It will be interesting to see RD sharing his experiences with all young and upcoming players , not just cricketers.

As an ardent cricket lover I pray Rohit finds this talent soon !

DaisonGarvasis
on August 12, 2012, 12:14 GMT

I say you always write good ones Harsha, but sure you used your golden ink to write this one.
The comparison between Bolt and Blake, saying what Blake realized was simply awesome.
For whatever "talent" Rohit Sharma is said to be possessing he must have kept it is a safe place for the fear of "wearing it out". For all the "fast tracking" and countless chances he has been given he has not done justice by any means. When the so called less talented ones are asked to grind it in the domestice circuits for poor performances, Rohit should be given even more severe sentence for not giving 100%

VickGower
on August 12, 2012, 7:02 GMT

The way forward here is not that confounding. Not much philosophical contemplation required here. Rohit needs to grind it out in the domestic curcuit and show some numbers. People like Rahane who have been doing this need to be given a break at the international level. And Laxman needs to be retired at the earliest. We will do fine against NZ with or without him. It will be disastrous to not allow a youngster to begin gaining confidence for the glut of overseas trips in 2013/14. To that end, just delighted that Srikkanth's tenure as selector is over. Bye, Bye. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

Temuzin
on August 12, 2012, 2:06 GMT

OK great. Nohit is a big NOHIT in ODIs so select him for tests, give him another85-100 tests to prove he is really talented. ha ha ha some of the fans are hilarious and really one eyed.

wolf777
on August 11, 2012, 23:11 GMT

Hearing about Nohit Sharma's talent makes me sick to the stomach. Only 11 runs in 5 innings? Is that some sort of talent? Both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have played similar number of ODI matches. Comapre their stats and you will find out who is talented. Virat Kohli has almost 4000 runs at an average that is over 50 runs with 13 centuries. Rohit Sharma has scored only 1974 runs at a paltry average of 30 runs.
Harsha and others who are admiring Rohit Sharma's talent should go and enjoy his talent at India nets. That's where according to Gambhir his talent shines; against net bowlers if I may add.

warneneverchuck
on August 11, 2012, 21:49 GMT

@Ahmed. India's bowling is worst in world cricket so is Pak batting

on August 11, 2012, 20:51 GMT

Spot On Harsha. I wonder why Selectors don allow talented players to go grinding in Ranji trophy rather than giving them Fast track IPL license. Selectors need to rethink the strategies Indian Test Squad should be "Viru, Gauti(Captain), Kohli (He has been in terrific control, Sachin, Badrinath(Give him a run in test he ll come out with flying colors), Kaif (Deserves a chance) , Yuvi, Dhoni (Need to Improve his batting in Test),Pujara, Zak, Ashwin, bhajji, Ohja, Ishanth, Umesh, Irfan)" What u say Harsha allow, Rahane,Tiwary, Yusuf, Mukund, Vijay, Rohit, Raina, Karthick, Uthappa to paly as many Ranji games to gain experience. Each spot in team should have two replacement ready if no viru, Viajy/Mukund should be ready to fill in create that Pool of talent for each positions. Ur comments harsha

on August 11, 2012, 20:12 GMT

when it comes to talent he is unmatchable,n perhaps his talent is givin him the xtra matches which he is not making use of it..but still lets be optimistic,remember yuvraj singh, he ws also droped from the side coz of his lackadaisical atitude towrd his game,but now luk his will,determination to do well for d country,wid some players it comes wid age,experince..jst hope dat dropping him from d side will happen to be d trigering moment in his life..n for india as well.

on August 11, 2012, 19:30 GMT

@Divakar Chandrasekhar V ................Inzi did well in nets against 2 W's the world class bowlers if anyone could play 2 W's he could play any fast bowler in the world ...........but rohit performs great in nets against club level bowlers (Indian Team bowling in world is world's worst and technically they r not any better than club level bowlers) He's gonna find it hard against world class fast bowlers

on August 11, 2012, 19:06 GMT

Rohit sharma has a list A average of 35 and has only given chances in odi cricket whereas avg of 63 in First class cricket no chance to him in tests ,selectors do they understand cricket ..

on August 11, 2012, 18:20 GMT

We also have a case of Umar Akmal in Pakistan, talented but in-disciplined.

saileshd
on August 11, 2012, 17:26 GMT

Form is temporary, Class is permanent. Rohit is a class player for sure and his ability is unmatched. The lean patch now he is facing should be dealt properly with the cricketing board and dont let another ripe talent going down wasted. Need to give him mentoring sessions and let make play more and more first class matches, surely county cricket and other foreign leagues so that he may come out with flying colors. Nobody wants to lose a player like him and he should emerge as 'A Fighter-Victorious' in his cricketing battle for the country's future.

NaniIndCri
on August 11, 2012, 15:44 GMT

The best remedy for Rohit will be to make him play tests till he sorts out his technique. Early in his innings he does not play the in swinger well and that's how he gets out most of the time. In shorter formats you cannot remedy that, while in tests he can work on that over a period of several overs.
Kohli got opportunity in Australia and developed his career if Rohit was also given a chance instead of failed seniors then he might have been similar to Kohli now.

Temuzin
on August 11, 2012, 14:07 GMT

What is this deal of comparing Nohit Sharma with Kambli? Kambli came and scored centuries and double centuries before going astray. How many double centuries this Nohit has made?

akash_mehta15
on August 11, 2012, 14:02 GMT

There's no doubt about rohit's talent but he is certainly not performing. The selectors have been very kind to the mumbai lad but now the time has come to get under the nets and work on the basics. Play some domestic cricket to get in some confidence or probably he needs to be counselled properly to ensure talent is being utilised. Hope he comes back to form soon and cements his place permanently in the squad!

on August 11, 2012, 13:04 GMT

Talent which does not come to use when needed - That is Rohit Sharma. Losing place in the team is inevitable. How many chances? In the interests of indian cricket, it is better that some senior player like Rahul Dravid or Sachin should counsel Rohit about discipline in batting, building the innings, spending time before the wickets and not going for rash or careless shots in the begining of the innings etc.. Even Sachin or Rahul never played such rash and irresponsible shots.. That too, since Rohit, if selected, comes in the middle of the innings, his consistancy is more important, like that of Dilip Vengsarkar or Amarnath or Rahul Dravid. If Rohit develops discipline, attitude and commitment, there is a possibility of his come back, though not immediately.

ut4me87
on August 11, 2012, 12:44 GMT

Many people have said it before, don't bring down Vinod Kambli any more by comparing him with Rohit Sharma. Kambli was very very special, and given the right coaching and mentoring, he could have corrected his weakness against fast bowlers and perhaps went on to play 100 tests like Tendulkar, Dravid, Ganguly etc..

Rally_Windies
on August 11, 2012, 9:12 GMT

about Rohit ... he has failed in how many Tests ? None ? wait he has a 1st class average of 63 and has never played a Test ?

Wait he is a poor ODI batsman with an A -List average of 35 and he is considered a failure for averaging 33 in ODI's ? ??

Um ???

Seriously folks... why has this kid not played any Tests ?

He has failed at nothing, because he is still waiting on his chance ...

veerakannadiga
on August 11, 2012, 6:49 GMT

Rohit Sharma vs Virat Kohli. Is it this the next RD vs SRT for us Indians to take sides and argue about who is better? If so who is RD & who is SRT?

pradeep_dealwis
on August 11, 2012, 5:43 GMT

A bit like Mahela and Sanga ( Or Sachin and Kambli, for that matter....though one can never say Kambli was the obvious greater talent) really, where Mahela has always been the greater talent, but failed in tough situations, where Sanga has flourished.

on August 11, 2012, 5:13 GMT

I am really heart broken seeing Rohit out of the test squad...I am a big fan of Rohit sincethe day he stepped into International circuit. Still remember his breadht taking innings against South Africa during the Inaugural T 20 World cup. He has never given a chance on the test circuit..he has been selected but has never been utilised...indeed this will de-motivate anyone's confidence. People know he is aplayer whose usual place is no.5 and he has always done wonders on those spots...team management has never given him that spot...when compare to Virat..he has always been playing a no.3 position....Virat is a great talent..but Rohit is a talent which needs a bit of guidance..I hope senior pro like Dravid should shred some cricketing knowledge with Rohit specially by spending some quality time with him...I wish Rohit comes back by the England tour...All the best Rohit will always pray for your future...

nyc_missile
on August 11, 2012, 4:00 GMT

As usual,the selectors have proved that there are clueless,gutless,spineless&utterly careless about Ind cricket or its future.As many have pointed out,Rohit is a Test talent and should have been nurtured on home conditions when a flat-track bully Raina merits a selection.Harsha is right,Rohit must step up,shape up and take his rightful place in the batting line up and that is NOT in either domestic circuit or sitting idly as the 15th player..it is ON FIELD taking on the challenges.I dont believe all the rubbish about his ODI failures are that concerning since the real deal is Tests and so deserved a spot esp as he was unfairly benched for the whole Oz tour courtesy status-quo'ist Dhoni..A big loss of an opportunity to kick out 'seniors' who flopped in the last 8 test matches and hence right the terrible wrongs done..Alas!

Niel1983
on August 11, 2012, 1:58 GMT

@Harsha: Sir, this is exactly the true picture you could have painted of these youngsters and the correct analogies too!! Just to add to the last line, this theory applies everywhere, "discipline to summon the talent whenever required" and the talent of "working hard" actually ultimately decides the winner and not necessarily "born talent"!!

krik8crazy
on August 11, 2012, 1:46 GMT

I am a big fan of Rohit too but there is no need to feel too bad for him, guys. He still has the IPL where he can dazzle and make everyone wonder "with all the talent in the world why does he.....".

He has made a good chunk of change and will continue to make a good chunk in the future playing IPL alone. I sometimes wonder if he is the cricketer of the future. I mean, given a choice of playing well for a couple of months to make good money versus having to toil all year for about the same reward, wouldn't any young player take the easier choice at least subconsciously? I won't be surprised if we see more Rohit Sharmas in the near future.

KosalaDeSilva
on August 11, 2012, 1:26 GMT

I was watching both Kohli And Rohit playing...Just remind me Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli.
It was just sad to see Vinod Kambli let him down...we all knew he was gifted talented player....but never made it..
I hope Rohit will turn things for good...very soon
by the way i'm a sri lankan and I like to see great players on the field.

on August 11, 2012, 0:43 GMT

Someone is a king of obvious generalities here....

AvidCricFan
on August 11, 2012, 0:12 GMT

That ability to summon the talent is nothing but temperament. Rohit Sharma has not shown it. The rigor of training is called commitment. I am not sure whether he has that either. The great players are made when all three qualities come together. Rohit Sharma makes big and lofty statements about learning from greats like Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar. However, when he comes on the pitch it is not evident. I am surprised to see the selection committee persisting with him after so many failures. He simply doesn't have right cricketing brain to harness his talent to produce right performances.

Rahulbose
on August 10, 2012, 23:08 GMT

People have overrated Sharma because his shots look very good. But you need the ability to stay on the wicket as well, otherwise you end up being the net practice champion.

adityamanoharsingh
on August 10, 2012, 23:00 GMT

nobody cares for talest untill and unless they wont shows it in situations....

Naresh28
on August 10, 2012, 22:44 GMT

Rohit could be a lost talent. He needs to be guided by a past great like Gavaskar.
As mentioned by some fans like @nampally if he started his innings by playing
cricket shots in the V and then gradually openning out it might serving better.

on August 10, 2012, 21:35 GMT

i read someone saying people who have not played cricket are commenting same with you man. The little amount of cricket which I have seen RS good innings both in IPL and Indian Cricket memorable ones, he has a partner like SRT with him to guide, somehow he is just not able to manage the loads of talent he has... he seems to me like a kid who need to be taught to choose the right on the pitch itself, he needs on the job training... he just cant control his feeling... luck cant be a factor when you pay bad shots match after match... i believe its understanding... somebody really need to sit with him with his videos for hours to let him realise his mistakes and work with him there on... Remember Ian bell was struggling to make runs in the first 3 test matches against a faded Indian bowling attack where everybody else scored mountain of runs and Gooch worked with him to bring his front foot forward between the break of tests and in the fourth he went to hit a century and form with it..

on August 10, 2012, 21:15 GMT

Rohit Sharma is a Test Player, not an ODI player. Look at his domestic stats. He has been given an extended rope in the wrong format. Give him a shot in Tests and I am sure he will succeed!

S_Pras
on August 10, 2012, 20:30 GMT

Talent without discipline is certainly a recipe for failure. This has been amply proven in the case of Rohit Sharma. He has just failed to take advantage of the zillion opportunities he has received. Is he really that talented and does India reeling under a drought of talent that they need to keep going back to him? Why hasnt some of the others like Badrinath, Saha received the same(or atleast half the) number of chances? I do believe that it is because of media that Rohit so unbelievably hyped.

Just as a side note, I dont understand Harsha rationale in comparing Rohit with Deepika Kumari.Though she did not perform well in the Olympics, she could not have become World No.1, without amalgamating talent and discipline. Rohit just has not made the connection yet.

akashchandran
on August 10, 2012, 20:20 GMT

Why most of the people here are happy on Rohit out of the Test squad without getting even one chance? Because India won against Sri Lanka in some ODIs and Rohit was a miserable failure in the series. But everyone forgets that he was in great form in the ODIs just last year but Virat Kohli was in even greater form and got selected in the Tests ahead of him. Possibly in South Africa next year India would be playing without Sachin and Laxman and Rohit by again performing well in the Ranji Trophy this year can hope to be one of the four middle order batsmen who will seal their places in the team by the end of that tour.

on August 10, 2012, 19:44 GMT

"At some point in the last four years Kohli realised that there was a virus within him".. totally disagree.. when did Harsha start reading people's minds...Kohli 4 yrs back and now is the same..just that he is scoring runs now..a person who has followed cricket for a few years will know how much fortune has to do with cricket...Rohit is at the receiving end now.. leave it at that.. he will have his time for sure..

PS: comment on the romance in cricket harsha not on individuals...

Cpt.Meanster
on August 10, 2012, 19:19 GMT

Rohit Sharma is LAZY !! He resembles Indian cricketers of old who had this negative body language in whatever they did. That's one of the main reasons Indians were always average in cricket. We need exuberance such as Virat Kohli, an ANGRY young man who is the face of modern India. We don't need cry babies which is exactly what Rohit Sharma is. I would never let him back into my team for sure no matter how good he may be. Enough opportunities were provided to him and he blew it. It's time to move on and encourage players like Tiwary and Rahane who are WAY BETTER than Rohit in all aspects of batting. Sorry Rohit, you are only fit for the IPL or domestic cricket. International cricket requires a steel mentality.

on August 10, 2012, 18:29 GMT

His career graph is pretty much similar to Yuvi's career.
Loads and loads of talent but fail to deliver when it mattered.
But then Yuvi camoe out strongly and won us the two World cups ie. Twenty20 and Worldcup 2011.
Hopefully Rohit will also battle hard and will realize his responsibility in the team ans will come back..

on August 10, 2012, 18:27 GMT

Here is the thing- All those who commenting about his talent has never ever played cricket. "Watching the game and analyzing is easy". If all the players (who play cricket unlike us) and players like Shane Warne, Symonds and many more believe this guy has talent, we still don't bloody understand what they meant. I agree he hasn't played to his potential or he lacks temperament or whatever you say, "ROHIT SHARMA IS THE TALENT". Leave him for a year, make him go back to domestic, let him feel his feet again and get his confidence back. Rohit Sharma is here to STAY. PERIOD.

on August 10, 2012, 17:33 GMT

Being able to use your physical(in this case batting batting) talent is a talent in itself, and that's what he doesn't have. I guess he isn't talented after all!

manish79
on August 10, 2012, 17:14 GMT

I can't remember any memorable innings from Rohit Sharma other than the CB series finals where he had the match winning partnership with Sachin Tendulkar. I wonder from which eyes Harsha sees "natural talent" in Rohit Sharma. Its all about performing and performing under different situations. I agree great players can have lean patches during their career but also they overcome through their hard work. Sorry, I do not see any hard work from him. And PLEASE... do not ever compare him with Virat Kohli.

EnglishCricket
on August 10, 2012, 16:59 GMT

He's not special or talented just about averages 30 in ODIs and bad at everything else proof enough :)

Rumy1
on August 10, 2012, 16:50 GMT

I still feel Rohit and Rahane are more suited to Tests than Virat Kohli and I guess jury is still out on this and it's too early. Somebody needs to talk to Rohit to sort out issues going on his mind. Looks like it is more the mind thing than skills. He could be a great Test batsman if he is helped out by BCCI. Maybe Sunny Gavaskar or Azhar or Kapil need to speak to him at length. And we could have a match winner at our hands. We must nurture talent like him. Pujara forced his way into Test team. He surely deserves and could serve the team for long. Rahane also deserves a place in Tests. No kudos to selection committee for these two. These two forced their way into the team.May be it is time to recall Kaif into the Test mix as this might be Laxman's last stint. And you just can't have youngsters to shoulder the Test batting line up. Kaif always stood up to his little chances that he got in Tests.May be Jaffer also gets a recall to open the innings and let Sehwag bat lower down.

khansa06
on August 10, 2012, 16:33 GMT

Rohit Sharma has an attitude problem......he is a cry baby who blames everyone and everything but himself for his failures. Also he appears to read and listen to only articles and experts views that sing praises about his natural talent....which by the way not many except a few like Harsha and Gambhir appear to have seen..... but Rohit definitely believes that he has some special natural talent which automatically qualifies him for a spot in the team.

When reality strikes, our cry baby blames every one and everything, instead of waking up to the reality of LACK OF ANY SPECIAL TALENT.

on August 10, 2012, 16:23 GMT

Excuse me Mr. bhogle, why are we talking about this rohit sharma who has been given such an extended rope that even the guy himself should be ashamed of it (but i doubt that). Oh..right..he is from Mumbai...

777aditya
on August 10, 2012, 16:22 GMT

Rohit ordered 100 (only number, not runs) sachets of vanishing cream and literally bathed in it, still he could not vanish, well at least his form did!

MunafAhmed811
on August 10, 2012, 15:40 GMT

Rohit ,Rahana , Tiwary , Zol, Unmukt Chand need to make Kohli their mentor and role model and Indian batting for next 10 years is good. Pujara ,Gambir, Raina already work hard and play well especially under pressure. Indian batting looks good to go for next 10 years. As for bowling unless BCCI do somethnig well batting will be our only strength

akpy
on August 10, 2012, 15:39 GMT

not defending rohit but if someone gets out before getting in having faced less than 15 balls most of the times, then it is one of those lean patches which strikes cricketers...rohit has to go back to basics and sort his head out but lot of people writing him off purely on the basis of his recent australia and SL tours...he is not even 25 and can still serve India for 5-10 years...let us hope he gets his confidence back and gets back into the team, rather than every tom, dick and harry, putting him down claiming to be an expert in cricket...i am not his fan but i can understand what he would be going thru and hope he bounces back...

Alexk400
on August 10, 2012, 15:36 GMT

No one can dispure Rohit Sharma's lazy elegant shots that guy has no physical strength. For me talent is good as long as it is productive. He is unproductive player in last 3 years., If they gave the same chance to any other player , he would have made tons of centuries. Rohit Sharma is overhyped someway. I always wonder out of 1.1 billion people we keep selecting same WEAK players again and again. It shows india as a country lacks creativity.

Nampally
on August 10, 2012, 15:33 GMT

Talent & Giftedness are within your genes.Usain Bolt has them but also has a tremendous advantage of height & long strides. He moves so gracefully only outmatched by the lady sprinter Felix of USA who moves like a Gazelle!.Rohit Sharma may have talent. But as you say you should be able to convert it into results by getting the best out when it counts. While Bolt shows his awesome power on big occasions thru' his superb temperment & confidence, Rohit seems to lack them. I have stressed many times in the Cricinfo columns that Defence, Discipline & patience are key factors for Rohit especially at the very start of his innings. I must also add that Rohit needs to play straight bat strokes till he gets past 15 or 20 runs. He often gets out playing across the ball or swinging rashly at the ball for no rhym or reason. That shows he needs to tighten his defence, patience & discipline. He should watch Gavaskar's innings videos & learn his approach. Talent without big scores = A jobless Ph.D.!

jay_vkjay
on August 10, 2012, 14:28 GMT

Rohit comes to the crease, and from the very first or second ball he starts playing cross batted shots. Play in the 'V' for the first part of your innings and slowly start playing full range of shots,when you gets timing and rhythm. This is a simple fact that every player knows. Look at the way Virat Kohli is building an innings. He just defends of leave the very first ball depending on its line and length. Slowly he starts to push the ball into covers, or soft hands come into play and churns out some well judged singles and slowly started playing all shots after playing out 20-30 balls. Rohit just comes and never mind who the bowler is,what the wicket looks like and whatever be the field placement. He hits the ball in the air,if connected well,it will be a good sight to see the ball sailing over. But if not he got out and walks out lazily. Plays well in IPL,forgets his role in Indian team and now becomes a burden to the team.

m_ilind
on August 10, 2012, 14:21 GMT

We are not interested in Rohit's bio, his performances on the field are the only criteria that count!

akhi3388
on August 10, 2012, 14:16 GMT

awesome article.. Harsha is the most talented person who can comment about cricket :) :)

sweetspot
on August 10, 2012, 13:58 GMT

With Rohit Sharma, I have always felt his performance depends only on one thing - how badly he wants to succeed. He has everything, just has to apply himself properly. Unfair to keep harping Raina is suspect against short bowling in conditions where most top guns failed. In fact, Raina got out to Swann more often than to a bouncer! Same short bowling came at him in the ODIs and look how he hammered that stuff. If there is a technical issue, a dedicated chap like Raina (who is also immensely talented by the way!) will be able to sort it out. If Rohit Sharma had Raina's work ethic, there will be no issues at all with him.

Banad
on August 10, 2012, 13:51 GMT

Guys.....Rohit is super talented.... ha ha haaaaaaaaaa....

yeah_right
on August 10, 2012, 13:43 GMT

@Krishna Raj: "Rohit tasted success very early in his career"...lol..Now dats news to me.

test_cricket_is_real_cricket
on August 10, 2012, 12:53 GMT

Rohit reminds me a lot of vinod kambli... lets hope he doesn't end up like him...
every player who plays in the ranji trophy has talent... Rohit Sharma has much more...he is a 'gifted' player...the kind of 'gift' that is the difference between a tendulkar/lara and a dravid/kallis...in terms of pure potential, is probably next only to tendulkar in the indian team... but then of course, that only takes you so far... maybe a stint in test cricket might help... after all ,statistics show us he has a much better record in the longer version...
As for kohli, he still has a long way to go...

Rudrajit
on August 10, 2012, 12:53 GMT

I would love to watch Rohit play the pull in a movie theatre, and marvel at the grace. I wouldnt want him playing for my country though, thats really something else.

Percy_Fender
on August 10, 2012, 12:29 GMT

Much of Rohit's present plight is the media's preoccupation with trying to build him up as the "next big thing" The quest for the next Tendulkar is silly really. That is because such a player happens probably once in a lifetime. I remember when Norman O'niell came in they said he was the next Bradman. This goes on but there can never be another Sobers or Botham or Kallis. All of them had this combination of qualities that go to make a champion. If Sir Gary could drink till the morning and still go back and score a hundered the next morning, that is because he has been specially created. So if Rohit has those cricketing shots that seem magic it has to be accepted that he just does not have one or the other of those qualities that go to make a champion. When he was young those shortcomings may have been dormant and cricket was the main thing. Now with him growing older his true persona is what we see. Not a reluctant champion as people would have us believe but a quitter.

dheerajshetty
on August 10, 2012, 12:21 GMT

Media is the culprit here, they overrated him so much that he was termed the next Tendulkar, I dont think that he is anywhere near Tendulkar.

xrocks
on August 10, 2012, 12:13 GMT

Kohli's has a gr8 commitment and its not at all a surprise to see the success he has achieved. Remember he played Ranji even on the day of his father's death. The commitments and dedications of Sachin and Dravid have made them Legends.Rohit needs to learn and he has age on his side.He should talk to guys like Brad Hodge and Badrinath...

on August 10, 2012, 12:06 GMT

Personally , I think Virat's gonna make it big in the Test arena . 13 centuries in just 87 innings at an average of above 50 at just 23 years of age is just astonishing . As for Rohit , well , he could take a break from the game like Sehwag did and work on his temperament . He might have to forge his way back into the national side , but at least he'll come back as a more confident and competent cricketer who can finally live up to his potential .

on August 10, 2012, 11:52 GMT

What about oscar pistorius?? he don't have fast twitched muscle fibers... Just Dedication & hardword!!
Is this article written by harsha??..comparing bolt and rohit sharma.. laughable..

on August 10, 2012, 11:44 GMT

what about Oscar Pistorius?? He dont have fast twitched muscle fibers... Just a dedication and hardwork?

varunrallapalli
on August 10, 2012, 11:43 GMT

Talent alone cannot take you places...but being industrious alone... may not garner enough eye balls popping...but u will have guarantee in setting up a routine for yourself in your concerned arena, that will never flatter to deceive...Rahul Dravid may not have been as talented as a Sachin Tendulkar....but even he had a successful career...if you cross over to the field of Tennis...we had two exceptional talents in Marat Safin and Roger Federer, both of same age and who turned professionals at the same time, but it was Federer who took off and never looked back...he has won 17 grand slams..while Marat won only 4...and is retired now...the difference between them was that Marat depended only on his talent...Federer summoned his oodles
of hardwork..... not that he doesn't have talent...but he was never over-dependent on talent alone..All great achievers, at some time or other would have faced barriers on their dominance in their profession...its perseverence and hardwork that paysoff...

varunrallapalli
on August 10, 2012, 11:41 GMT

Talent alone cannot take you places...but being industrious alone... may not garner enough eye balls popping...but u will have guarantee in setting up a routine for yourself in your concerned arena, that will never flatter to deceive...Rahul Dravid may not have been as talented as a Sachin Tendulkar....but even he had a successful career...if you cross over to the field of Tennis...we had two exceptional talents in Marat Safin and Roger Federer, both of same age and who turned professionals at the same time, but it was Federer who took off and never looked back...he has won 17 grand slams..while Marat won only 4...and is retired now...the difference between them was that Marat depended only on his talent...Federer summoned his oodles
of hardwork..... not that he doesn't have talent...but he was never over-dependent on talent alone..All great achievers, at some time or other would have faced barriers on their dominance in their profession...its perseverence and hardwork that paysoff...

srinideva
on August 10, 2012, 11:20 GMT

oh my god,
Good news for indian cricket....
R sharma kicked out of test squad...
I`m the most happiest person in india..wait a minute i think many more..
and i don`t think he`ll get a game in T20...

Much of the blame goes to the media for trying to build up a new Mumbai batting hero. A class act will perform in 3 out of 5 matches, not once every halfyear. To compare Rohit with Usain Bolt even indirectly, is laughable. Bolt has performed over half a decade, and I think it is totally unlikely that he doesn't train, but just has that natural talent to run fast.

Romenevans
on August 10, 2012, 10:55 GMT

There is nohting like "Talent" this word should be deleted from teh dictionary. Now..the only things works is Hard work and dedication to achive something. Rohit has taken everybody for granted....and he ironically do that always by spoiling other players chances. What a depressing and hopeless talent.

yogi.s
on August 10, 2012, 10:53 GMT

Everyone is literally in awe of rohit's talent so he better realise it and sort out his problems really soon.However if he is not working hard enough he doesnt deserve all the chances he's been getting at tiwary's expense. Hopefully, Rohit will at some point soon in his career turn the corner and perform consistently.

on August 10, 2012, 10:42 GMT

This may be debatable but Rohit's problem seems to stem from the fact that from the age of 16 , he was touted as the next tendulkar/Laxman and it went to his head (as is evidenced by his lifestyle - bmw's fancy suits eta all) , and took is position for granted. ever since kohli has begun to do well, there is a noticeable change in rohit's attitude as he has woken up to the reality of his position. lets hope his axing will lead to a tougher attitude .

Ind_cric_lover
on August 10, 2012, 10:38 GMT

Don't compare Rohit with Kambli. Kambli had hit 4 centuries (including 2 double )in his first 7 tests. Was the quickest to 1000 runs (int terms of innings) in test cricket. Rohit has done nothing in one day cricket after 90 odd matches. Give him chances in test matches and he'll again do nothing but play with an angled bat & cross batted strokes as if he is Bradman.

on August 10, 2012, 10:37 GMT

I think Harsha omits the most important happening in Indian cricket in 2008. IPL got launched and Rohit became a million $ player. He probably has earned more than people like VVS or Wasim Jaffer through his IPL contracts. It will be very difficult for a rich, talented kid to do the hard yards; One needs to read Aakash Chopra's book on the Rajastan versus Mumbai match; How Rohit tries to be dismissive and gets out. For every Kohli who breaks through, there are several Rohits, anchored to mediocrity due to IPL. Imagine this; In the same C&B series in the first match, Rohit oozed elegance in making 30 odd, while Tiwary froze and looked comical against Lee. Now Tiwary has overtaken Rohit;

on August 10, 2012, 10:29 GMT

right from that day in Australia, I have been always been excited to watch Rohit Sharma bat..whether in ODI, T-20 orin Tests(where he still needs to open his account). I still think it is not all lost for the young man. I still put BCCI & captain on radar for his debacle. Earlier this year he been a bencher in the whole series where he could have had his bat talking. And in the recent days BCCI or captain ruined the scenario by giving him undue support. it is not that we should not support him. but when he was at his lowest confidence, all eyes were just on him, i don't think he should have been given another chance. Instead, what captain or management should have done that they should have sat with him and said "look, young man..we know how important it is for you, but we also know that you are not your best. you need to spend some time in backyards. And we'll happy to get you back."
I m not saying that Rohit is not responsible for his present. in fact he is both Villain and Victim.

zapeta
on August 10, 2012, 10:23 GMT

What does talent mean? talent is to give good performances handling pressure. rohit does not have talent to perform at the Highest level and so truly he is failing every time. one or two spectacular shots cant be called as talent. ajinkya rahane has talent, he is improving every game. Guys Dont keep on chanting Rohit is Talent... There is lot of talent in India other than Rohit..

on August 10, 2012, 10:20 GMT

Nice article talent will help you to reach some position but if you want to sustain really you need to put lot of hard work. In other way hard work never fails but some time talent will let you down. In tennis Ivan Lendl is the fine example how hard work succeed the talent. McEnroe is more talented than Ivan Lendl but later achieved more in professional tennis. Still we can say Lendl is the trend setter for the modern power tennis which out played elegant and soft tennis. Kohli also same because of his hard work he out played Rohit.

gummadv
on August 10, 2012, 9:56 GMT

Biggest talent for batsmen is to spot the right ball to score. Rohit having problems in that area. Maybe he need to give more respect to Bowlers to be able chose the right ball to hit.

akashchandran
on August 10, 2012, 9:51 GMT

Rohit has not been given an opportunity to play a Test. Can you rate David Rudisha on the basis of his 100m performances?

Naresh28
on August 10, 2012, 9:38 GMT

I agree with a fans comment MANDEEP SINGH looks good. Together with CHAND
and PUJARA we have three potentials. I liked ROHITS century in the IPL. He really
needs a coach like Gavaskar or someone to take him under his wings - I
remember even Greg Chappell thought very highly of Rohit years back. Rohit just
has not justified what he is capable of and of late he seems to be digressing.

crindo77
on August 10, 2012, 9:38 GMT

If you think of how young people are in international sports, Sharma has missed the boat as far as international cricket is concerned. Had he made full use of his opportunities, like the recent CB series, when India were badly in need of some face saving success after the 0-4 Test series, he would have been next in line after Kohli to step into the Test team. Its time to move on with Pujara and Kohli.

Sunman81
on August 10, 2012, 9:33 GMT

From watching the way he played the last 3 innings in SL, I feel he is terribly short of confidence now... Before Rohit tries to summon that talent, he has start believing in himself... Bolt expressed an attitude which would suggest he is arrogant..but it actually helped him to be fearless, the fear of defeat...
Which is actually a must for any sportsmen...

Rohit now knows that he must utilize his talent...but the fear of failure is actually hurting him...

akondivyas
on August 10, 2012, 8:59 GMT

Kohli is a proven talent. It is not fair to compare someone who has played 90 ODIs at an average of nearly 52 runs and making 13 centuries with someone who has played 85 ODIs at an average of 31 runs and 2 centuries. Please stop comparing Virat and Rohit. Virat is far ahead of Rohit. Talk about Rohit in IPL/T20 and stop considering him for Tests/ODIs.

Aaryabhatta
on August 10, 2012, 8:54 GMT

good writeup harsha..i luv rohit..he has to recollect himself

pprash_2002
on August 10, 2012, 8:53 GMT

Why we are talking so much about rohit sharma.I think we can say he is talented
only when he is a successful player.If he is not as talented as kohli,infact kohli is most talented amoung the younger players.presently rohit is very average player because although he got great skills,still he is fully flop.

kharidra
on August 10, 2012, 8:45 GMT

Sometimes it is very harsh yardstick. There are times when performances are just overlooked. It is fair to recall subsequent stellar performances after the 66 runs and 123 run partnership with the master. Including centuries and nineties and scores over fifty and man of the match performances in the midst of ruins around. Stats and Comparisons do not always measure returns. On disciplined hard work and commitment - the virtues to greatness - there is no alternative. It is the batting slot, the role, and the feel good factor within the dressing room go a long way in providing the necessary boost to careers. It is also important to recognize natures of individuals and different behaviors and provide more specific inputs to make the necessary adjustments. It is a case of closely monitoring the Achilles heel and being able to carefully nurturing around it will assure better returns.

o-bomb
on August 10, 2012, 8:34 GMT

Rohit Sharma is still only 25. He is certainly not finished. Surely he still has a terrific career ahead of him.

ramli
on August 10, 2012, 8:29 GMT

Rohit played some elegant strokes in CB series ... showed some good temperament at the highest level ... fielded well ... was young ... hence was marked as a player with special talent ... that is all ... failing to display that quality for long time now means that he has lost some of the talents ... let him discover the lost talent in first class cricket rather than in test cricket ...

silly_pt
on August 10, 2012, 8:29 GMT

I have always been a fan of Rohit and it was very disappointing to see him consistently not performing in Sri Lanka.. I believe that BCCI have managed him poorly and he should have been given opportunities in longer version of the game before shorter versions.. but he himself is to blame for being so lazy all the time with his attitude.. still I would like to see him picked just for one time in tests because if we don't give 'right' opportunities to special talents like him, soon we will see an era in which batsmen are replaced by run accumulating programmed machines..

on August 10, 2012, 8:25 GMT

Harsha i suggest you to change the heading as Rohit and the Attitude problem.......not the talent problem.His Lazyness shows his Attitude towrds the game and his career.Every body is great and talented player if its his day.

on August 10, 2012, 8:20 GMT

Sorry if this hurts any one.According to me there is no hidden talent in Rohit Sharma.He plays the shots in a stylish way.If he has really got talent the indian coaches have definitely made him a great player by now.He has got enough chances in the indian cricket team,where he could not prove.there r many young batsmen who are much talented than Rohit Sharma.

on August 10, 2012, 8:17 GMT

next big thing in indian cricket after kohli is mandeep singh. he seems to have fire in belly like rohit sharma

on August 10, 2012, 8:13 GMT

Sharma must be left alone. He has not played a test which is the real deal.

chapathishot
on August 10, 2012, 7:58 GMT

Rohit was on the verge of test selection against SA in 2010 and ,it was due to bad man management and selection mishaps he is suffering now.Some of the seniors who went to play to Bangladesh and returned injured also had to be blamed .He should have played for India in that series in Bangladesh and you should have seen a different Rohit by now.If we lose him system also should be blamed

gautamar
on August 10, 2012, 7:58 GMT

Great article and very succinct as usual. One has now come to expect nothing less from you Harsha! It is Vinod Kambli and Sachin all over again. Kambli was more talented than Sachin as a school boy. Having come from a very modest background he was unable to handle the pressures of success. In addition I think the constant meddling in the batting order of Rohit has contributed to his demise. I think that there must a lot of people getting into Rohit's ears. Mostly well meaning but at the same time terribly confusing for the young man. I shudder that he may go down the Irfan's path where too may cooks spoilt the broth. Irfan has been strong and now getting back into the grove. Rohit should enrol a sport psychologists help, because time is running out for him. I am a huge fan of Rohit's and it saddens me to see him slide down this path

on August 10, 2012, 7:50 GMT

i think the selectors should persist with him.make him play those India A tours abroad.main problem with him is that he tasted success very early in his career.he is a very rare talent which we cannot afford to loose.together with Kohli he can fill the void left by Dravid and Laxman (soon to happen). Remember Vinod Kambli. Rohit can be put into that league.

doubtingthomas
on August 10, 2012, 7:47 GMT

Just because columnists and analysts cannot stop raving about Rohit Sharma's "talent" doesn't make him least bit talented. It's almost as if it's blasphemous to call him mediocre. Most of his better innings have been on tailor-made home pitches, or against opponents with weak bowling attacks. Stats are valid evidence, and it's apparent that he is NOT TALENTED at all.

on August 10, 2012, 7:32 GMT

what talent? this player has been sensationalized by indian media, and that's the issue here. if they had not sensationalized this guy to this extent, then he would have been out of the indian team ages ago on form.

on August 10, 2012, 7:28 GMT

simply put...talent helps you get into indian cricket team...but hard work helps you stay there...!

ankitth
on August 10, 2012, 7:24 GMT

wow!!what an article....this is where harsha stands head and shoulders above every other writer..the first para is a stunning example of his writing skills..comparing bolt and blake with virat and rohit,,,,!!you are the absolute best.and harsha,stop writing about rohit again,such a waste of a talent,he might well become the mohammad ashraful of india..i consider it a crime ,comparing ashraful to rohit,ashraful atleast had one staggering match winning innings against australia!!! go back to domestic cricket rohit and try to get a county contract,wher yu can improve your skills..

SoverBerry2
on August 10, 2012, 7:23 GMT

Good article! Harsha Bogle is a philosopher!

But, the team need to keep Rohit Sharma. Remember for how much time we kept M. Kaif and Sehwag with bad form!

With his ability, he can be a good overseas test player. He is just 25 years old and there is lot of time to develop your attitude and control. Note that he is different from Suresh Raina who don't know how to handle a good bouncer and MSD who don't know how to play England! Every goes through a tough period and management need to support him!

CricFreak87
on August 10, 2012, 7:05 GMT

It is getting boring to the point of irritation. Every guy wants to write about Rohit Sharma and his talent and his lack of temperment, Yaa people we get what you want to say. How about a change of topic?? Something more useful than Rohit Sharma and his Talent??

on August 10, 2012, 6:59 GMT

awesome article harsha!!!! last paragraph was the best!!!!
rohit is definitely gonna come back strong. attitude problem he has.

switchmitch
on August 10, 2012, 6:52 GMT

Rohit Sharma is the biggest hype in Indian cricket. "Talent" amounts to nothing if it is not accompanied by temperament and Rohit has failed miserably - time and again - in the international arena. Five years is too long a time to fulfill the "talent". Persisting with him will amount to gross injustice to other "lesser talented" but committed batsmen who are toiling away in the domestic circuit. There are many, many deserving candidates like - Rahane, Tiwari, Pujara, Mukund, Dhawan, Bist, etc.

on August 10, 2012, 6:48 GMT

Yet another wonderful article Harsha!!

on August 10, 2012, 6:46 GMT

he has the lazy elegance of Inzamam . When he bats well he reminds me a lot of young inzi. Just hope he can be more consistent as it will be a great loss if we lose rohit , but his recent form and stats do not merit his selection ahead of many others waiting in the wings i guess.

wish him all the best form pakistan

on August 10, 2012, 6:45 GMT

For starters it's a very well written article. One's own fate lies in his own hands. But i also feel cricket and running are very different sport in the sense that luck somehow plays bigger role in cricket then in running. Also every time a cricketer fails or goes thorough a long rough patch every body start saying that he is lazy or not training or not worth his talent. If the cricket is in his thirties than they will say time to retire as he has slow reflexes. Training obviously plays the most important role in your success but if you are unsuccessful it does not imply you don't train hard. Rohit mostly needs a break or needs to play at a lower level where he can score some runs and then come back into Indian Squad.

on August 10, 2012, 6:45 GMT

Hi Harsha..really well writen. Rohit Sharma , the sad part is that he Looks LAZY, the is NO determination, to utlise the gift of talent. That desperation/determination which we see in eys of Virat, or have always seen in the eyes of Rahul Dravid. Rohit could have easily been the settled in Indian test ODI and T20 side till now if he would have been focused and wanting to score runs rather than look good while batting.
Harsha - One suggestion - can you speak to Sachin that in the last year or more- Sachin is batting more to accumulate runs than to bat like the dominating batsmen that he was. Is accumulating runs more important than scoring Match winning aggressive innigs which he was always known for? His 20s 30s were much more delight than his 100th hundered. I am a big fan of Sachin tendulkar, but sad part is since last few month our sachin never bats like Sachin Tendulkar.

on August 10, 2012, 6:44 GMT

I still dont understand what talent are we talking about? What is the definition of a talented player? Without playing well, without scoring runs, a player is still able to get a place in the team, then its just poor selection. If there is any other meaning of talent then India has lot of other talented players waiting to get their chance.

According to me, a player is only as talented as he plays. And in this case, Rohit Sharma is not playing well. He should be dropped, as simple as that.

on August 10, 2012, 6:40 GMT

Imran Khan did a fabulous job by inducting Inzy into the team after watching him hit the two W's with ease and elegance in the nets. Rohit reminds me of Inzy and I feel he should have been inducted into the Indian cricket team right after the CB series but that did not happen. That said, he cannot receive too many chances as other Indian youngsters are biting at his heels. He should go back to the drawing board and practice hard to make a comeback. He should not think this is end of the world. Looking up to Michael Hussey and having quite a few talks with him will do his confidence a world of good. Seeking advice of Tom Moody (who helped Shaun Marsh tremendously with his attitude and cricket), Rahul Dravid will help him as well. He can look for a deal in the county cricket which will help him mature tremendously. I do not want to see him end up like Graeme Hick or Mark Ramprakash. Rohit Sharma, I still have faith in you.

TheOnlyEmperor
on August 10, 2012, 6:35 GMT

One notices, that many a "talent" don't have the discipline and rigor to work on their technique. If only they did, the performance levels as well as the consistency of performance would be several notches higher. There are several cases in point at the London Olympics: The Indian woman archer with the world record, the various Indian boxers as well as the female Indian discus thrower. Many of them should have been able to win medals if only they had worked on their technique. People confuse between individual style and technique. Technique can never be compromised. Is Rohit Sharma's technique good enough? That's the question which the various self proclaimed cricket pundits would have to answer. If not, then what's wrong? If you don't know what's wrong, then you obviously can't fix it and can only keep whining! :)

on August 10, 2012, 6:32 GMT

Of course Rohit lazy enough,not to be in team.The way he plays shots,looks to be lazy and most arrogant.Dont compare with him Kohli or Raina, these guys work hard,which can be shown on field and off filed.Rohit has enough back up from all big pandits to come back in team as many times as he can by wasting another youngster opportunity like Tiwary,Pujara

srinideva
on August 10, 2012, 6:31 GMT

Nohit sharma formerly known as rohit Sharma is / was most over hyped player in earth.
You can call him gifted or talented or whatever special words you have.
but the reality is When he can`t bat well in srilanka (Poor bowling) then how can you expect him to play well in aus,eng,sa.
Now you guys consider him as a regular pick in Test. What the special inns he has played in AUS - CB series. Nothing???
Still you saying, he didn`t get a chance to prove his worth iin the team.
He nearly played 85 ODI for india. He scored 2 Centuries, one against zim and another one aginst SL( both teams are most most most tough team to score)...
What a special one he is. Really, do you think he is a special guy in indian team where the medicore technique cricketers like Dhoni(I`m not disgrace him) played like champion.
I would want to see a performer not a batting hero.

TheOnlyEmperor
on August 10, 2012, 6:25 GMT

Knowledge is not power. Applied knowledge is power. Likewise, only applied talent is meaningful. Potential without performance is meaningless. It's one of life's ironies, the many a talented person is too lazy to work his talent! This happens either because he doesn't have a strong work ethic, or a strong hard disciplining coach or because his talent has messed up his top storey!
All of these life lessons when one watches sports that demand individual excellence during the Olympics, especially the "stop-watch" events!
Many a commentator and expert fail to understand that even for a team to excel, while we need the individual players of the team to excel in their respective roles, the synergy effect that enhances team performance comes only later!

on August 10, 2012, 6:15 GMT

Harsha you have juiced the lemon out of Rohit. 3 cheers for this article. Now the pulp remains with Rohit; for what he makes from it is what time will tell and we would witness.

Samar_Singh
on August 10, 2012, 6:13 GMT

Too much of talk about Rohit.. Its enough I think ..
Unnecessary elaboration .

S.Jagernath
on August 10, 2012, 6:10 GMT

Bhogle & his examples from other sports...sickens me!

on August 10, 2012, 6:01 GMT

Completely agree with Harsha.. He is a great talent ... I think he will realise the same soon .. Nothing can match the Class he has got .. so lets hope that he does well with the numbers as well ..

Vivekaks
on August 10, 2012, 5:45 GMT

Harsha...i have always been a fan of your articles. I somehow felt this was getting fairly prophetic.
Rohit may be a great talent.. lazy or not...u just have to have the attitude...
Inzamam was probably lazier but then he had the attitude to pull it off and probably the most destructive batsman on his day...
Kohli on the other hand has been put on a pedestal...agreed he is a great talent...and he is clicking at a time everyone else is failing..but isnt he playing against familiar opponents day in day out and on sub continent pitches...Kohli is a fine prospect but to put his above everybody else is something very premature...
Kohli still has the fuse and he hasnt changed a wee bit...we jus choose to ignore for he is scoring runs.

Venki_indian
on August 10, 2012, 5:39 GMT

Bored of this Rohit's talent talk...If a guy consistantly cannot pickup the ball properly he has no talent

on August 10, 2012, 5:29 GMT

Rohit is only partly to blame for his present predicament.He has been shabbily treated by the powers that be.I remember Ian Chappel saying he found it hard to believe that Rohit was not a member of the Indian Test team.He was not given the proper break when he was in form in 2008 after that series in Australia.There are numerous such examples in Indian cricket(Mohd. Kaif for one)

sanj1981
on August 10, 2012, 5:24 GMT

very well written. i remeber that innings. i thought he would be the next tendulcar. i think he will still be able to bounce back

on August 10, 2012, 5:15 GMT

Very True, fed up advocating for Rohit. This guy is Irresponsibility Personified.
Reminds me of Hanuman from the Hindu Mythology Ramayan. Where is his Jambavan?

cnksnk
on August 10, 2012, 5:13 GMT

Oh Boy. Here we go again. We seem to be end lessly talking up the "special talent"of Rohit Sharma. After 80 + ODI's I dont think he has more than a hand ful of innings to show case. And I can safely wager that any one of the youngsters playing first call will be able to show case these innings if given 80 + matches. A couple of years ago Rohit was dropped as he seemed dis interested and had put on woodles of weight. I do not want to sound accusative without any proofs but I think Rohit has remained in the public eye as two of India's leading commentators have continually talked up his ability. There was a time when Vinod Kambli was mentioned in the same breath of Sachin as regards talent. But inspite of chances ( and some very good double hundreds) he faded away due to lack of application and commitment. Can we move on from Rohit and see other talent else where in the country.

on August 10, 2012, 5:12 GMT

Good article, Mr: Harsha. Those in BCCI also have to see the talents don't go astray. A lot of measures could be taken and as you have rightly pointed out any person shines in this World once he wins his inner demons. BCCI can do the needful for that. Probably have a psychologist who could do his best to get the best out of the players.

on August 10, 2012, 5:11 GMT

Batting is not merely about hitting balls to boundaries.........It require 1). strong technique to defend all good bowls esp the ones aimed at stumps like Sachin or Anwar 2). To organize and pace an inn like Sachin or Anwar did i.e. which bowlers to hit which to defend when to drop anchor when to capitalize) 3). Acquired good fortune to miss the good balls (i.e. not nick it) outside off stump more often than not 4). Ability to hit hard with timing like Sachin or brute force like Dhoni. 5) gap finding 6). Finally a bonus in batting ability is the ability to hit good balls to boundaries like Sachin Sehwag Gayle does.......Coming to Rohit he lacks technique to defend pacer's good balls bcz a) he falls over b) he closes his bat face c) he gets late........Just like Imran Nazir of PK.....Imran Nazir is forgotten tale despite immense ability to hit boundaries same will happen to Rohit

on August 10, 2012, 5:07 GMT

Totally agreed that being gifted alone is not sufficient to win the battle. We should be able to utilize that talent. Consider the following analogy:-
Rohit Sharma was gifted with a Mercedes while Virat was gifted with a Swift Dezire. Now both were asked to reach a goal by driving the respective cars themselves. Though Rohit got the better car but he was not a good driver and hence he kept making accidents besides losing the hunger to achieve something. Thus he could not reach the goal and lost. On the other hand, Kohli was an excellent driver and hence he could drive perfectly and reached the goal even though his car was not that advanced. Also Virat is hungry to reach the goal. He is not at all satisfied with 30's and 40's.

So we can find, Kohli utilized his talent to the fullest while Rohit failed. Thus Kohli outscored Rohit even though Rohit was more gifted.

on August 10, 2012, 5:07 GMT

As Albert Einstein has rightly said "Genius is 1% talent and 99% percent hard work..."
It is such a pity because Hard work without talent is a considerable, but talent without hard work and determination is a tragedy.

Ben1989
on August 10, 2012, 5:04 GMT

first decent article I've read from you Harsha, thats my thought anyway, not a big fan, but well written & a very truthful article I think....

on August 10, 2012, 5:03 GMT

You do not have any control over talent but you do have control over your approach. Rohit Sharma should talk to Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar for 20 minutes and I am sure they will sort out his problems.

on August 10, 2012, 4:59 GMT

As Albert Einstein has rightly said "Genius is 1% talent and 99% percent hard work..."
It is such a pity because Hard work without talent is a considerable, but talent without hard work and determination is a tragedy.

thalalara
on August 10, 2012, 4:56 GMT

One more article on Rohit Sharma, its really boring and waste of time. One thing is clear whether Rohit presence is felt in the center of the wicket or not but he has become regular feature on Write-ups. Kudos Rohit!!!

on August 10, 2012, 4:54 GMT

Rohit is undoubtedly a great talent and is here to stay. He need to learn a lot from his mistakes.

SouthPaw
on August 10, 2012, 4:51 GMT

The amount of publicity we give to people like Rohit Sharma, Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh & Yuvraj Singh - by writing articles and analyzing them - it is a waste of time and reeks of nepotism. They are plain lazy and have zero work ethic but a huge amount of arrogance.

Why not write about huge talents like Pujara, Badrinath, Raina, etc?

on August 10, 2012, 4:47 GMT

I m not sure who spotted talent in Rohit..He always makes excuses.If given out lbw 9 times out of 10 he will point his bat to the umpire..He is good only in the dustbowls of India and not anywhere else.

sams235
on August 10, 2012, 4:46 GMT

You are wasting valuable server space by writing(and me commenting) about Rohit. Lets drop him once and for all and move on with other players.

Pacelikefire_Samrat
on August 10, 2012, 4:27 GMT

I am surprised that even you judge Rohit based on 1 solitary performance 4years ago.I am even more surprised when you talk about him planting his front foot down and execute the pull shot with ease.Isnt this a technical flaw?Hasnt he been gettin out in the same fashion match after match,just planting his front foot down and playing across it?On seaming tracks he is a potential LBW candidate and also the away going delivery will open him up,giving the slip fielders or even the fielder at gully extended catching practice.How many guys have got the same opportunites that Rohit has had?Had some other player been in his postion he would have been playing in some obscure county let alone even think of playing for India again.Why is he being touted as India's saviour based on his performances in the cash rich IPL?Is there a serious dearth of talent in the country of do you see something extraordinary in him that no matter how many times he fails,he still keeps getting picked again and again?

on August 10, 2012, 4:22 GMT

One of the best article i have read in recent times...

on August 10, 2012, 4:15 GMT

Wow! Harsha is turning into a philosopher now. Amazing viewpoint on athletes is different sports!

on August 10, 2012, 4:14 GMT

Well said... U r the best...

on August 10, 2012, 4:08 GMT

The best thing that any one can do to help Rohit SHarma is to leave him alone for a year in domestic Cricket and not utter the word Rohit and talent in the same sentence. I think these comments about his talents are putting a lot of pressure on him!

Narbavi
on August 10, 2012, 4:05 GMT

I still can't believe that the selectors persisted with him for these 5years but left someone like a Badrinath in the lurch, that guy would have been a legend by now had he been given the amount of chances that Rohit received!!

on August 10, 2012, 4:00 GMT

What a shame if we lose Rohit Sharma, like we lost Salim Durrani,Siva or Sadanand Viswanath to this chasm dividing TALENT (which is god given) and BEST (Blood, effort,sweat & tears)!

No featured comments at the moment.

on August 10, 2012, 4:00 GMT

What a shame if we lose Rohit Sharma, like we lost Salim Durrani,Siva or Sadanand Viswanath to this chasm dividing TALENT (which is god given) and BEST (Blood, effort,sweat & tears)!

Narbavi
on August 10, 2012, 4:05 GMT

I still can't believe that the selectors persisted with him for these 5years but left someone like a Badrinath in the lurch, that guy would have been a legend by now had he been given the amount of chances that Rohit received!!

on August 10, 2012, 4:08 GMT

The best thing that any one can do to help Rohit SHarma is to leave him alone for a year in domestic Cricket and not utter the word Rohit and talent in the same sentence. I think these comments about his talents are putting a lot of pressure on him!

on August 10, 2012, 4:14 GMT

Well said... U r the best...

on August 10, 2012, 4:15 GMT

Wow! Harsha is turning into a philosopher now. Amazing viewpoint on athletes is different sports!

on August 10, 2012, 4:22 GMT

One of the best article i have read in recent times...

Pacelikefire_Samrat
on August 10, 2012, 4:27 GMT

I am surprised that even you judge Rohit based on 1 solitary performance 4years ago.I am even more surprised when you talk about him planting his front foot down and execute the pull shot with ease.Isnt this a technical flaw?Hasnt he been gettin out in the same fashion match after match,just planting his front foot down and playing across it?On seaming tracks he is a potential LBW candidate and also the away going delivery will open him up,giving the slip fielders or even the fielder at gully extended catching practice.How many guys have got the same opportunites that Rohit has had?Had some other player been in his postion he would have been playing in some obscure county let alone even think of playing for India again.Why is he being touted as India's saviour based on his performances in the cash rich IPL?Is there a serious dearth of talent in the country of do you see something extraordinary in him that no matter how many times he fails,he still keeps getting picked again and again?

sams235
on August 10, 2012, 4:46 GMT

You are wasting valuable server space by writing(and me commenting) about Rohit. Lets drop him once and for all and move on with other players.

on August 10, 2012, 4:47 GMT

I m not sure who spotted talent in Rohit..He always makes excuses.If given out lbw 9 times out of 10 he will point his bat to the umpire..He is good only in the dustbowls of India and not anywhere else.

SouthPaw
on August 10, 2012, 4:51 GMT

The amount of publicity we give to people like Rohit Sharma, Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh & Yuvraj Singh - by writing articles and analyzing them - it is a waste of time and reeks of nepotism. They are plain lazy and have zero work ethic but a huge amount of arrogance.